Analysis: 3 Fantasy Football Questions Regarding Seahawks' Busy Offseason

It's that time of year again when fantasy football is slowly starting to creep its way into the subconscious of fans, and with every offseason comes change. How did the Seahawks offseason in particular impact their players' fantasy value going forward? Colby Patnode takes a look.

If you're a functional member of society, you're probably not quite ready to start thinking about the 2021 fantasy football season just yet. But if you play in dynasty leagues or have an unhealthy obsession with the game like me, you may be starting to plan your draft boards in anticipation of your fantasy draft this summer.

It can be the best day of the year or the cause of all your frustrations, but being prepared will help you find more joy than frustration in November and December. After all, the separation is in the preparation. But with so many moving parts each offseason, it's easy to become paralyzed with hesitation when considering new faces in new places, which will cause some fantasy managers to reach or play it too cautiously on draft day.

So when it comes to the Seahawks, what changes need to be accounted for? And what do these changes mean in the fantasy football world? Let's take a look at a few of the most common questions surrounding the 2021 Seahawks and try to offer some reasonable advice as we head into draft prep.

How does the hiring of Shane Waldron impact the Seahawks' offense in the fantasy game?

The four horsemen of the Seahawks' fantasy offerings are a safe bet with tremendous upside, almost regardless of who the offensive coordinator is. Moving any of Russell Wilson, Chris Carson, DK Metcalf, or Tyler Lockett significantly up or down your draft board as a reaction to the Waldron hiring probably isn't a wise move.

Waldron wants to bring some more screens and jet sweeps to the offense, meaning guys like Lockett and Carson may have a few more guaranteed touches per game than they did in 2020, but banking on those opportunities is a gamble. Instead, treat these four players as you would if Brian Schottenheimer was still the OC: Wilson as a top-six QB, Metcalf as a low-end WR1, Carson as a solid RB2, and Lockett as a solid WR2 or high-end flex play.

Do any of the Seahawks get a boost in value after the offseason?

Perhaps the Seahawk whose fantasy stock has risen the most since the beginning of the offseason is tight end Gerald Everett. Coming along from Los Angeles with Waldron, Everett should immediately step in and play a crucial role in the offense. He's big and fast, able to run away from linebackers on crossing routes, and he's big enough to body corners in the slot or outside.

Owning any of the Seahawks' tight ends last year was a massive headache, but Wilson has always tried to get the position involved in the passing game, even when he didn't have elite talent at his disposal. Last season, if you combine the numbers of Greg Olsen, Jacob Hollister, and Will Dissly, you'd create what was roughly a top-eight fantasy tight end. But Olsen and Hollister are gone and Dissly didn't show the same receiving skills he had the previous two seasons in his recovery from a second-straight major lower leg injury. I wouldn't advise drafting Everett as a top-12 tight end, but if you play in a deeper format of a two tight end league, he's a solid option.

Can D'Wayne Eskridge make a fantasy impact this season?

Sure, it's possible. Eskridge has home run ability, is the de facto third wideout in a promising offense led by an elite QB, and appears to be a solid fit for what Waldron wants to do on offense. But while it's possible, you need to be careful and accept that the most likely outcome is he's a bye week fill-in or a lottery ticket off the bench.

The Seahawks are still quite high on Freddie Swain and did sign Cade Johnson as an undrafted free agent—both of whom can threaten Eskridge's fantasy ceiling in 2021. Lockett and Metcalf are going to demand a lion's share of the targets and neither player is going anywhere anytime soon.

What's more than likely is that Eskridge will have one or two games this season where he breaks a long touchdown, but will follow it up with some quiet weeks stacked together. He's a solid second-round pick in dynasty rookie leagues and a worthwhile flier late in standard leagues as a WR5 or later. But banking on any production in 2021 is a dangerous risk.